Sansovino arrived in Venice in 1527. The city offered him the scope Florence, with its fortress-like palaces and narrow streets, could not. Light and space were the key and Sansovino exploited them for all they were worth.
A handsome man never short of female attention despite his reputedly hot temper, Sansovino never actually intended making Venice his home. He was, in fact, on his way to France following the sacking of Rome. In Venice, he was asked to fix San Marco's main [G 08 / cupola], a project he completed with such success it elevated him to the position of the Republic's first architect and engineer.
In addition to his library, he also built the churches of San Guiliano and of San Francesco della Vigna. Disaster struck in 1545 when the cupola of the Libreria Sansoviniana collapsed and he was flung into prison. He was released after much negotiating on his behalf by Titian and Arentino. He died in 1570 aged 84, having survived four strokes. Sansovino is remembered for striving to meld sculpture and architecture.
